Three dog trainers named to testify against Noble

ON BAIL: Trainer Tom Noble has been granted Supreme Court bail after he was charged with trying to coerce a witness into changing her statement.

THREE people charged with greyhound live-baiting offences have been listed as police witnesses against disgraced trainer Tom Noble.

Court documents have revealed Julie Elizabeth Edmondson, Anthony Terrence McCabe and James Gregory Harding - who have all been charged with live baiting offences - are police witnesses Mr Noble is banned from contacting.

Thomas Adrian Noble, 68, this week was granted Supreme Court bail after he was charged with attempting to coerce Ms Edmondson into changing her statements to police.

Mr Noble is facing seven serious animal cruelty charges for allegedly tying piglets, possums and a rabbit onto a mechanical lure and using the animals as bait to train greyhounds to race. Police claim Mr Noble's dogs would bite and rip at the animals, wounding and killing them.

He told the court he intends to plead not guilty to the charges - although court documents show he has told police and Channel 9 he intends to plead guilty. He was granted bail on the coercion charges this week but barred from speaking to Ms Edmondson, Mr McCabe and Mr Harding.

Greyhound racing inquiry taskforce senior constable Benjamin Caffrey said in a statement to the court Mr Noble found out Ms Edmondson had been co-operating with police through media reports into court proceedings.

"(Mr Noble) admitted to the investigating officer after his arrest he became aware of (Ms Edmondson's) assistance to police and the evidence she has provided allegedly implicating (Mr Noble) in relation to his charges currently before the court and allegedly referred to in the conversation between (Mr Noble) and (Ms Edmondson)," he wrote.

"(Mr Noble) admitted to the investigating officer he became aware of the assistance (Ms Edmondson) allegedly provided to police through media reports."

In a statement to the court, Ms Edmondson said she had "seen him engage in live baiting practices" at his Churchable operation. Police claim Ms Edmondson is one of "numerous" witnesses to have made statements about Mr Noble's operation - claiming they have "significant" evidence against him.